Praying For Those Who Are Grieving
It seems like we have waves of deaths all around us at times. I used to hear people say that deaths always come in threes. I know that is not always the case, but I have noticed over the years that often there are multiple deaths at one time. I was struck today by all of the folks that I heard about who need our prayers because of their grief.
Yesterday evening I got word that the elderly mother of one of our members passed away in another state. Her daughter had been taking care of her for a year as her life slipped away. Now, they are planning the funeral which they have known was coming for a while. This morning I read my prayer requests from the International Mission Board, and I was saddened to read about the parents who lost their 21 year old son in a motorcycle accident while he was serving as a short term missionary in Africa. I am sure they were so proud of their son for following the Lord, but now they will have to wait to see him again in Heaven. Then, I read of the people in China who died in this latest earthquake. What a terrible situation. Hundreds are dead, and the people are having to dig them out by hand. I am sure there is much grief in that land tonight. Finally, I still think of the families in West Virginia who lost loved ones, and some are without bread winners for their families now. What a tragedy.
What can we do in these situations? We can pray for God to comfort. The Bible tells us that "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." God is abundant in His compassion for those who grieve. We can also assure them that God has a plan for them and the others who are left behind. He is not going to leave them without an extra measure of His grace, if they will call upon Him. Then, they can walk through their grief until they come out with more faith and more hope than ever before. That is what God wants for those who grieve.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Chronicles 5-7.
Yesterday evening I got word that the elderly mother of one of our members passed away in another state. Her daughter had been taking care of her for a year as her life slipped away. Now, they are planning the funeral which they have known was coming for a while. This morning I read my prayer requests from the International Mission Board, and I was saddened to read about the parents who lost their 21 year old son in a motorcycle accident while he was serving as a short term missionary in Africa. I am sure they were so proud of their son for following the Lord, but now they will have to wait to see him again in Heaven. Then, I read of the people in China who died in this latest earthquake. What a terrible situation. Hundreds are dead, and the people are having to dig them out by hand. I am sure there is much grief in that land tonight. Finally, I still think of the families in West Virginia who lost loved ones, and some are without bread winners for their families now. What a tragedy.
What can we do in these situations? We can pray for God to comfort. The Bible tells us that "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." God is abundant in His compassion for those who grieve. We can also assure them that God has a plan for them and the others who are left behind. He is not going to leave them without an extra measure of His grace, if they will call upon Him. Then, they can walk through their grief until they come out with more faith and more hope than ever before. That is what God wants for those who grieve.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Chronicles 5-7.